History

Barque Europa in Iceberg Alley

The 3-masted barque 'Europa' was launched on the river Elbe in Germany in 1911. I crewed for 2 months on Europa, sailing from Argentina to Antarctica, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha and on to Cape Town. This shot was taken in the open sea east of South Georgia, where currents sweep north from the Weddel Sea - a stretch of water appropriately known as 'Iceberg Alley'.

Biscoe House, DECEPTION ISLAND

The old whalers' buildings on Deception Island was later used by the British Antarctic Survey until volcanic activity in 1969 caused a massive mudslide to burst through the base.

Drygalski Fjord, SOUTH GEORGIA

The barque Europa anchors for the night in Drygalski Fjord at the southern tip South Georgia. This spectacular fjord was first charted in 1911 by Willhelm Filchner's German Antarctic Expedition.

Grytviken, SOUTH GEORGIA

The fomer whale-catcher 'Petrel', its harpoon still in place, lies abandoned in front of the former whaling station of Grytviken. The restored, and much older, barque Europa, moored behind, is in much better condition!

Jougla Point, Wiencke Island, ANTARCTICA

The skeletons of two whales killed by early 20th century whalers have been haphazardly arranged into their approximate positions. These waters were once busy with whaling ships, which have left behind anchor points, chains, bones and several sunken ships.

Port Lockroy, Goudier Island, ANTARCTICA

Overshadowed by the Fief Mountains, Port Lockroy was initially built as part of Operation Tabarin in 1944, a secret British wartime mission. At the end of the war it became a British research base and was instrumental in early ionospheric and upper atmospheric research.

Waterboat Point, ANTARCTICA

The Chilean base, Gonzalez Videla, occupies the site where two brave englishmen, Thomas Bagshawe and Michael Lester, spent an Antarctic winter in 1921-2 living inside an abandoned water-boat while they conducted survey work and meteorological studies.

Whalers Church, Grytviken, SOUTH GEORGIA

The church at the whaling station at Grytviken was transferred from Strommen, Norway, in 1913 and is still occasionally used for services.

Whalers' Bay, DECEPTION ISLAND

Piles of abandoned barrels and the remains of discarded water-boats lie on the beach at Whalers' Bay on Deception Island where up to 13 factory whaling ships once processed whale blubber.